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OCTJ Innovator Premium Income 30 Barrier ETF - October

Defined income on SPY, paying quarterly

Over the year to Sep 11, 2026, OCTJ paid 5.2% in cash and still finished 11.9 points behind SPY.

Innovator · Income ETFs · data as of

Key facts

5.2%Cash paid, 1 year, on its starting price
+5.6%Total return, 1 year
−11.9 ptsAgainst SPY
5.3%Latest payout, annualized

Method

ETFIQ Return Stability Score

42.8105th of 161

OCTJ paid 5.2% in cash and its price rose 0.2%, so the payout came out of returns rather than principal.

Was the payout funded by returns, or by your own capital?

Against its benchmark
MLPD −38.1 ptsMDST −30.2 ptsSLTY −29.1 ptsBLOX −27.8 ptsEIPI −27.8 ptsYQQQ −27.6 ptsULTY −23.3 ptsGDXY −22.0 ptsHIGH −20.8 ptsTOPW −18.6 ptsTDVI −18.3 ptsYMAX −18.1 ptsHISF −17.3 ptsACKY −17.2 ptsWEEI −16.9 ptsNDIV −16.6 ptsLQDW −16.2 ptsOARK −15.8 ptsFDND −15.5 ptsTCAL −15.0 ptsQRMI −14.8 ptsSDVD −14.8 ptsLFGY −14.5 ptsSLJY −14.5 ptsSCLZ −14.1 ptsYFYA −13.9 ptsQUSA −13.5 ptsHYGW −13.0 ptsJULH −13.0 ptsXLRI −13.0 ptsMAGY −12.9 ptsYYY −12.7 ptsXLKI −12.6 ptsJULJ −12.4 ptsLJUL −12.4 ptsJANJ −12.3 ptsLJAN −12.3 ptsFGSI −12.2 ptsLOCT −12.1 ptsRNTY −12.1 ptsAIPI −12.0 ptsIWMY −12.0 ptsHIPS −11.7 ptsJUCY −11.6 ptsXLEI −11.6 ptsAPRJ −11.3 ptsLAPR −11.3 ptsXISE −11.3 ptsXIJN −11.1 ptsCVRD −11.0 ptsJANH −11.0 ptsAPRH −10.9 ptsXBTY −10.7 ptsXIDE −10.7 ptsOCTH −10.6 ptsJEPI −10.3 ptsXIMR −10.1 ptsSRHR −9.7 ptsXRMI −8.7 ptsVEGA −8.3 ptsBUYW −8.2 ptsIAUI −7.9 ptsBAGY −7.7 ptsXV −7.5 ptsKHPI −7.3 ptsYBTC −7.3 ptsFTHI −7.0 ptsYLDE −6.8 ptsIGLD −6.1 ptsQQQI −6.1 ptsRDVI −6.0 ptsSPIN −5.9 ptsFEPI −5.8 ptsIWMW −5.8 ptsTYLG −5.7 ptsBITY −5.6 ptsSPUT −5.4 ptsWTPI −5.2 ptsPAPI −4.7 ptsXLVI −4.7 ptsETCO −4.3 ptsJEPQ −4.1 ptsCAIE −4.0 ptsFTKI −3.9 ptsGPTY −3.7 ptsIQQQ −3.7 ptsGIAX −3.4 ptsBIGY −3.3 ptsISPY −3.1 ptsRYLD −3.1 ptsWEEL −2.9 ptsYMAG −2.9 ptsRDTY −2.6 ptsXLBI −2.5 ptsNBOS −1.8 ptsRYLG −1.8 ptsSPYI −1.7 ptsFTQI −1.6 ptsKNG −1.6 ptsTSPY −1.6 ptsTHTA −1.5 ptsQQQY −1.3 ptsRDTE −1.3 ptsDIVO −1.2 ptsSIXH −1.2 ptsXYLD −1.2 ptsDFII −1.1 ptsGPIQ −1.1 ptsQDTY −1.1 ptsXYLG −1.1 ptsXDTE −0.9 ptsQDTE −0.7 ptsQYLD −0.7 ptsXLII −0.7 ptsXPAY −0.7 ptsEGGY −0.6 ptsJOYT −0.6 ptsSDTY −0.6 ptsWDTE −0.4 ptsBTCC −0.3 ptsQYLG −0.3 ptsGPIX 0.0 ptsDJIA +0.1 ptsDYLG +0.3 ptsIWMI +0.3 ptsKGLD +0.3 ptsXLFI +0.3 ptsIVVW +0.4 ptsLTTI +0.5 ptsLQTI +0.6 ptsPBP +0.6 ptsHYTI +0.9 ptsTDAQ +0.9 ptsCSHI +1.3 ptsBALI +1.4 ptsYETH +1.5 ptsHYBL +1.6 ptsXLUI +1.6 ptsCHPY +1.9 ptsBTCI +2.1 ptsSOXY +2.3 ptsITWO +2.5 ptsDOGG +2.7 ptsCEPI +2.9 ptsXLYI +2.9 ptsYBIT +2.9 ptsTLTP +3.4 ptsDUBS +4.0 ptsSEPI +4.7 ptsXLCI +5.2 ptsIDVO +5.4 ptsTLTW +5.4 ptsBCCC +6.3 ptsOMAH +6.5 ptsIDUB +6.9 ptsXLSI +8.8 ptsUSOY +10.5 ptsBUCK +10.9 ptsKLIP +20.9 ptsNVYY +24.6 ptsOCTJ −11.9 ptsOCTJ −11.9 pts−38.1 pts+24.6 pts

26.4% of the 161 sit at or below OCTJ on this measure.

What happened to the principal
ETCO −75.0%XBTY −74.7%YETH −67.4%YBTC −61.4%BTCC −59.9%YBIT −58.9%BAGY −58.0%SLTY −54.4%ULTY −53.3%NVYY −52.4%BITY −51.9%BCCC −49.4%BTCI −46.9%DFII −44.8%LFGY −43.0%YMAX −41.0%BLOX −38.8%TOPW −36.6%OARK −33.3%KLIP −32.8%GDXY −32.5%YMAG −27.1%YQQQ −26.3%MAGY −25.8%IWMY −23.1%CEPI −21.0%RDTY −19.9%RDTE −19.4%QDTE −18.5%EGGY −15.1%TLTP −14.5%XLYI −14.1%LTTI −13.8%ACKY −13.7%WDTE −13.7%QQQY −13.0%QDTY −12.8%XDTE −12.8%AIPI −12.2%QUSA −11.8%LQTI −10.4%TLTW −10.3%SDTY −9.9%GIAX −9.8%XLUI −9.5%HIGH −9.3%LQDW −9.3%TCAL −9.0%FEPI −8.5%XV −8.4%IGLD −8.1%XLRI −8.0%XLCI −7.9%FDND −7.6%YYY −7.5%XLSI −7.3%RNTY −6.5%HYTI −6.3%GPTY −6.0%OMAH −6.0%XLBI −5.7%HYGW −5.6%IWMW −5.3%HIPS −5.2%XPAY −4.9%HISF −4.7%QRMI −4.2%USOY −4.0%XLFI −3.8%FGSI −3.2%BUCK −2.5%HYBL −2.5%JUCY −2.3%XRMI −2.3%MLPD −1.7%CAIE −1.6%IAUI −1.6%YFYA −1.6%IVVW −1.4%CVRD −1.3%JEPI −1.1%KNG −0.9%XIJN −0.7%JULJ −0.6%WTPI −0.5%CSHI −0.4%JULH −0.3%LJUL −0.2%XISE 0.0%JANH +0.1%JANJ +0.1%LAPR +0.1%LOCT +0.1%LJAN +0.2%XLII +0.2%APRJ +0.3%OCTH +0.3%XIDE +0.3%XIMR +0.4%APRH +0.5%TSPY +0.6%KHPI +0.7%BIGY +0.8%WEEL +0.9%SRHR +1.0%FTHI +1.1%QQQI +1.5%XLVI +2.1%SPYI +2.6%QYLG +2.8%YLDE +2.8%BUYW +2.9%SDVD +3.0%XYLG +3.4%KGLD +3.8%THTA +3.9%DJIA +4.2%FTKI +4.3%SCLZ +4.4%PAPI +4.5%RYLD +4.7%XLKI +5.0%PBP +5.1%IWMI +5.3%DYLG +5.4%TDAQ +5.9%XYLD +5.9%JEPQ +6.0%SPIN +6.1%NBOS +6.5%SPUT +6.5%RYLG +7.1%GPIX +7.9%FTQI +8.0%DOGG +8.2%ISPY +8.4%QYLD +8.4%DIVO +8.9%MDST +9.3%VEGA +9.4%BALI +9.5%GPIQ +9.8%SLJY +11.0%RDVI +11.7%TDVI +11.7%IQQQ +12.3%SEPI +13.8%XLEI +13.8%SIXH +14.1%ITWO +14.3%EIPI +14.6%JOYT +16.1%IDVO +16.4%DUBS +18.9%WEEI +18.9%IDUB +19.0%TYLG +21.2%NDIV +22.9%CHPY +24.9%SOXY +68.6%OCTJ +0.2%OCTJ +0.2%−75.0%+68.6%

59.3% of the 161 sit at or below OCTJ on this measure.

Weighted evenly, those two positions are what the score combines, across the 161 income ETFs writing on an index or proxy. Neither spread above is the score: a fund can sit further right on one and score lower. A position in this set, not a rating: it moves when the set moves, and it is not a figure to average against another desk's.

What the score is computed from
What it measuresThis fundIts percentileWeight
against its benchmark−11.9 pts26.450%
what happened to the principal+0.2%59.350%

All income ETFs ranked by this score · How it is computed

What a holder got

OCTJ against SPYOCTJ returned +5.6% with distributions reinvested against +17.5% for S&P 500 (SPY), used as a default proxy, a gap of −11.9 pts. Of that, 5.2% arrived as cash rather than price.+5.6%OCTJ total return+17.5%S&P 500 (SPY), used as a default proxy5.2% of it arrived as cash

Over the year to Sep 11, 2026, OCTJ returned +5.6% with distributions reinvested and S&P 500 (SPY), used as a default proxy returned +17.5%, so a holder came out behind it by 11.9 points. The lighter segment is the 5.2% that arrived as cash rather than as price.

Method

Period by period

OCTJ over each window to Sep 11, 2026. Every figure is an ETFIQ calculation. Source: ETFIQ.
WindowCash paidPriceTotal returnSPYAhead or behind
3 months1.3%−0.1%+1.2%+3.3%−2.1 pts
6 months2.6%+0.8%+3.6%+16.0%−12.5 pts
1 year5.2%+0.2%+5.6%+17.5%−11.9 pts
Since launch15.9%+1.5%+18.8%+85.0%−66.2 pts

Method

When OCTJ pays

OCTJ pays quarterly. The last distribution was $0.3177 a share, which went ex on Jun 30, 2026, with payment about 2 days later. The next has not been declared. On its own cadence of about 91 days the ex-date falls near Sep 29, 2026; that date is an ETFIQ projection, not the issuer’s.

Expected distributions for OCTJ. Where the basis is a projection, ETFIQ has carried the fund’s own spacing forward from its last ex-date and held the amount at the last one paid; neither is an issuer statement. Source: ETFIQ.
Ex-datePay dateAmountBasis
Sep 29, 2026Oct 1, 2026$0.3177ETFIQ projection from the fund’s own cadence
Every distribution ETFIQ holds for OCTJ (11, most recent first)
Cash distributions per share for OCTJ. Source: ETFIQ from Tiingo end-of-day distributions.
Ex-dateAmount
Jun 30, 2026$0.3177
Mar 31, 2026$0.3177
Dec 31, 2025$0.3177
Sep 30, 2025$0.3115
Jun 30, 2025$0.3115
Mar 31, 2025$0.3115
Dec 31, 2024$0.3115
Sep 30, 2024$0.3954
Jun 28, 2024$0.3954
Mar 27, 2024$0.3954
Dec 28, 2023$0.3954

Every income ETF going ex-dividend in the next fortnight

Method

In plain words

Since it launched on Oct 2, 2023, OCTJ has returned +18.8% with distributions reinvested, against +85.0% for S&P 500 (SPY), used as a default proxy, and has paid out 15.9% of its starting value in cash along the way. It pays quarterly, and at its current price the latest distribution annualizes to 5.3%. No Rule 19a-1 notice has been published for this fund, so there is no issuer estimate of how much of its distributions was a return of capital.

OCTJ (Innovator Premium Income 30 Barrier ETF - October), income ETFs fields as of Sep 11, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
Strategydefined income
BenchmarkS&P 500 (SPY), used as a default proxy (proxy)
Paysquarterly
Net assets (issuer page, as of Sep 11, 2026)$19m
Latest payout, annualized (ETFIQ)5.3%
Expense ratio (485BPOS XBRL, Feb 27, 2026)0.79%
Cash paid, last 12 months, over today’s price (ETFIQ)5.2%
LaunchedOct 2, 2023
Paysquarterly
Typical gap between ex-dates91 days
Typical wait from ex-date to payment2 days
Last paid, per share$0.3177 ex Jun 30, 2026
Sum of the last 11 distributions$3.7806

Every figure is an ETFIQ calculation from exchange prices and cash distributions (Tiingo end-of-day), total return with distributions reinvested. Return of capital is the issuer’s estimate. How these figures are computed

Questions people ask

How much has OCTJ paid over the last year?
Over the year to Sep 11, 2026, OCTJ paid 5.2% of its starting price in cash distributions, while the price rose 0.2%.
Is OCTJ ahead of SPY?
Over the year to Sep 11, 2026, with every distribution reinvested, OCTJ returned +5.6% against +17.5% for S&P 500 (SPY), used as a default proxy, so a holder was behind it by 11.9 points.
How often does OCTJ pay, and how much?
OCTJ pays quarterly. The latest distribution annualizes to 5.3% at its price on Sep 11, 2026, which is not a promise; the next one can differ.
When does OCTJ next pay a distribution?
OCTJ pays quarterly. The last distribution went ex on Jun 30, 2026 at $0.3177 a share. The next is not declared; on a cadence of about 91 days the ex-date falls near Sep 29, 2026, which is an ETFIQ projection. Payment usually follows the ex-date by 2 days.
What does OCTJ cost?
The prospectus expense ratio is 0.79% a year.

The words on this page

Total return
What a holder actually ended up with: price change plus every distribution, reinvested. The only figure that answers whether you came out ahead.
Cash paid
Distributions over the window as a share of what the fund cost at the start. A measure of cash delivered, not of return: a fund can pay a great deal and still lose money.
Ahead or behind
The fund’s total return minus the benchmark’s over exactly the same days, in percentage points. Both sides reinvest.
Return of capital
The issuer’s own estimate, in a Rule 19a-1 notice, of how much of a distribution was your own money returned. An estimate and a tax characterization, not a measure of erosion.
Covered call
Selling call options on shares the fund holds. It collects a premium and gives up the gains above the strike, which is why these funds pay well and lag a rising market.

Every term used here, defined in full on the income ETFs vocabulary page.

Where these figures came from

ETFIQ links to the documents behind every figure. It is not affiliated with any issuer, and a link is not an endorsement.

Funds near this one

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The payout bar for OCTJ, redrawn every trading night. Free to use with the credit link.

OCTJ payout bar, ETFIQ

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<p><a href="https://etfiq.com/funds/octj">OCTJ payout bar, updated daily by ETFIQ</a></p>

Where OCTJ is written about

OCTJ, Income ETFs, ETFIQ, data as of Sep 11, 2026. Every figure is arithmetic on a named public source; the method is at etfiq.com/methodology. ETFIQ is an independent publisher, is not a fund issuer, broker-dealer or investment adviser, and makes no recommendations.
Use this data, or open the live card

Open OCTJ live on ETFIQ, where the figures refresh with the data.

Cite this page. ETFIQ, OCTJ, income ETFs, data as of Sep 11, 2026. https://etfiq.com/funds/octj Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.

How these figures are computed · Standards and sources